Drinks to the World

Unlike the vinegar and fruit macerations that share the name, shrubb in Martinique is a spiced orange liqueur. Both Clément and Rhum J.M now have a shrubb, which share similarities but can be used in quite different ways.

The base is a blend of white and aged rhum (J.M contains more aged, Clément more white) which is then combined with a blend of spices: nutmeg, cloves, orange zest, cinnamon and a little vanilla. The spices are individually macerated in white rhum to extract the flavour, and the resultant essences are blended into the base in different ratios – the exact difference is a secret, but in terms of flavour Clément tends to be a clearer orange, whereas J.M has more rounded spiciness. Cane sugar and bitters are the final additions, again in different amounts. Shrubb is the Christmas Punch of Martinique!

When it comes to ways in which to drink them, less is more (in terms of ingredients): both taste fantastic served chilled on their own as an aperitif or after dinner drink. Clément Créole Shrubb is perfect with tonic and a dash of grapefruit bitters, for a great long drink in summertime (or while hoping for the summer to come).

J.M lends itself perfectly to a Rhum Old Fashioned, with 60ml J.M V.S.O.P and 15ml Shrubb J.M stirred down for a late-night drink at any time of year.

Shrubb is an extremely versatile liqueur, which means it works exceptionally well with an array of other spirits. Try it in a Reverse Margarita with 35ml shrubb and 25ml tequila (opt for a blanco tequila with Clément, and a reposado with J.M) and lime juice to taste.

“I think we may have to stop for a minute”. We’d been on the road from Oaxaca City for a little over an hour and a half, along winding, bumpy roads at an altitude notably higher than our natural habitat. It would be fair to say that we were beginning to appreciate the remoteness of our destination, the Sola de Vega region of Oaxaca and the family ranch of the brothers behind Los Siete Misterios, Julio and Eduardo Mestre. Eduardo kindly pulled over at the next suitable spot – a good twenty minutes later – and we got out to stretch our legs and have a few well-deserved deep breaths. Julio went on a mercy mission for some water, crisps and marshmallows, and I noticed a friendly stray dog. I stroked it, thinking about what a lovely man I am, when Eduardo opened the boot of the car, pulled out some dog food and popped a nice portion on the floor for our new friend. The brothers, it transpires, are dog lovers and always keep a pack handy in case they come across a stray. I need to up my game.

Once we’d regained our composure we piled back into the car for the final leg of the journey, gratefully pulling into the ranch a little over an hour later to receive an enthusiastic welcome from the 10 dogs – all from the same litter – who are also a part of the family. The brothers’ mother, Angela, and her husband Eduardo have lived here for two years now and have converted a former cattle ranch into a Palenque, an agave field and a nursery.

There are around 200 known species of agave, most of which grow in Mexico, and roughly 45 of these are used in some form of distillation (estimates vary, but over 30 is certainly a safe bet). The Sola de Vega region is home to about 18 of these, cultivated and growing wild. Unlike in tequila production, where the blue agave is cultivated by means of hijuelos, and hence clones of the same plant, at the nursery the emphasis is on letting the quiote sprout from the agaves and gathering the seeds, which are then planted and nurtured. Some species of agave, particularly the ‘wild’ varieties (notably the legendary Tobala), are thought to not shoot hijuelos and can only be propagated in this way. In terms of sustainability this is becoming more essential: during our trip we heard several reports of hillsides being stripped of immature wild agave. Suspicion falls on the agave syrup industry – which requires a lower level of brix than mezcal – but in truth no-one is sure.

We took a stroll through the nursery, after applying a healthy layer of suncream, and cooed over the baby Tobala we found there. Antonio, the master palenquero, joined us as we continued into the field to see an impressive range of agave growing side by side: jabali, barril, mexicano, sierra negra, arroqueno, espadin, tobala and more, with a staggering range of size and appearance that contrasted sharply with the regimented lines of blue agave we’d seen in Jalisco. Somewhat overexcited I quickly became a self-declared expert in agave identification: sierra negra has black tipped teeth on the penca, hence its name (‘black saw’); tobala looks ‘like an angry cabbage’ (according to my personal botanical notes); barril has a small ‘trunk’ beneath the plant and looks a bit like a small yucca palm (in Sola de Vega barril tends to be used to refer to agave from the karwinski family so some of these were madrecuixe, tobasiche and others).

At the ranch Antonio was preparing to cook a batch of barril agave, the thin, woody piñas arranged in a neat pile next to the oven, which holds three tons of agave per cook: enough for just 150 litres of the finished mezcal. After cooking the agave are smashed up in a hollowed-out log (a canoe, basically) with a large homemade mallet, which is great fun to wield. Antonio’s mezcal is distilled in traditional small clay pots (as are all the Siete Misterios Mezcals, with the exception of Doba-Yej) and he took a break from stacking the stones in the oven to taste some with us, while Eduardo talked us through the distillation.

After this comprehensive tour everyone sat for a wonderful lunch of Angela’s Oaxacan food and enjoyed the warm Mexican hospitality, and we tasted the range. Julio and Eduardo work with a number of palenques in the Sola de Vega region, sourcing some of the finest traditional single agave varietal mezcals. The brothers first discovered mezcal when taking road trips from Mexico City: they would drive to the coast and pick up mezcal from the villages on their way. This was always popular with their friends, and after requests for more they began to take plastic jerry cans back to Mexico City; the best of these mezcals eventually became the Siete Misterios range. Over lunch we started with the ultra-rare, earthy mexicano, moved onto the fruitier coyote, the herbaceous arroqueno, and then the buttery barril: all with some of the nicest home-cooked food I’ve ever enjoyed. Oh, and some dried grasshoppers.

After a long afternoon in this idyllic setting we left much later than we planned, meaning that the return journey was in darkness. This didn’t improve it much, but a bellyful of great food and mezcal and a soulful of hospitality certainly helped. Also, Eduardo drives fast. We finished with a couple of beers and mezcals in one of Oaxaca City’s nice bars and headed to bed.

Day 2 started with a quick quesadilla and hot chocolate in a local café before Misty and Gabe from Del Maguey picked us up and drove us to Teotitlan del Valle, where the bottling is done and some very special casks are resting. Del Maguey was my first real encounter with mezcal – the best part of a decade ago – so I spent the whole day in a perpetual near-dream state, starting as we tasted the now immense range with Misty – after she’d personalised our copitas for us. Sticking to the Del Maguey rule, of course: sip, don’t shoot.

After a quick burrito stop (yep, a burrito in Mexico. I think Jon is still in shock.) we drove to the first of the two palenques of the day, in San Baltazar Chichicapam. When Ron Cooper started Del Maguey way back in 1995 Chichicapa was one of the first two he brought to the world, accompanied by San Luis del Rio. Correspondingly, this was also the first real mezcal I ever had the pleasure of tasting, and I still remember the feeling of a whole new world opening up as my taste buds tried and failed to find a suitable reference in the memory bank of spirit flavours. It would be fair to say I was excited to be here, and not a little overwhelmed. This was only compounded when Faustino joined us: it is always a privilege to drink with a producer, and to sit and enjoy a mezcal (okay, many mezcals) with him and his son Max was something of a dream realised for me.

Next stop was Santa Catarina Minas, where Minero is produced. If Faustino’s Chichicapa first drew me into mezcal, it was the clay pots of Minero which ensured I was hooked. Like the majority of the Siete Misterios range, Del Maguey Minero is made in the artisanal fashion, meaning that along with the use of clay stills the agave is smashed by hand, or rather with big bats: molinas (stone wheel mills) powered by horses or donkeys are the alternative (mezcal is ‘craft’ and ‘small batch’ long before those terms were invented, let alone desirable). We gave this a good go. I must confess I’ve wanted to try my hand at agave smashing ever since I heard about it, and I would have patted myself on the back were it not for the fact that both my hands were blistered to the point of bleeding after about 20 minutes. A batch takes around five hours, admittedly by someone with better technique than me.

Luis Carlos and his wife Alejandrina sat and drank mezcal with us as we caught our breath (this took some time), and admired the view of the sunset, and attempted to make friends with the goats. Well, I did at least. We enjoyed the mezcal, the company and the view for some time before reluctantly having to take our leave.

We returned to Oaxaca City to meet with Michael, Steve and Jaime from Del Maguey for the evening; dinner followed by a visit to In Situ, a local mezcaleria, for some of the rarer agave and dasyrylion (sotol) distillates before retiring happily to our flat for a couple of rounds of backgammon. Mezcal, for all its virtues, doesn’t improve my technique.

Day 3, our final full day, we met Jaime Munoz of Los Danzantes and Alipús. Jaime – who is incidentally one of the nicest characters in mezcal – drove us to their under-construction new distillery. For anyone with a geek-leaning temperament this was paradise. Tradition combined with science and sustainability, from the heat-conserving arrangement of the stills, to the use of different fuels, to the plans for a solar powered tahona, to the agave ‘museum’ and nursery in the grounds. Jon and I spent at least half an hour taking photos of the labelled agaves outside. Running a little late thanks to this over-enthusiastic agave snapping we moved to the original distillery that Jaime set up in the ‘90s. Los Danzantes was started by Jaime and his twin brother, Gustavo, as a restaurant in Mexico City with a focus on top-end Mexican food (at a time when ‘top-end’ and ‘Mexican food’ were unusual bedfellows); its success led to the second restaurant in Oaxaca City. The emphasis on cuisine led the brothers to bottle their own tequila early on, and it didn’t take long for them to move to mezcal, which continues to be Jaime’s passion.

If the new distillery is a geek’s paradise, the original is a salve to those of us who like organisation (if you’ve ever arranged your spirits in the same order as the stock take sheet, or changed the bar setup to make people move more efficiently, then this is the distillery for you). The set up allows the agave to arrive at one end, where they are put into the traditional oven. The oven is on a raised level a little higher than the fermentation vats, which are on wheels for added ease. The stills are then on a slightly lower level. The whole production is in a line, working with gravity, and the cellar (more of a chai, in that it’s above ground) is at the end; the finished product leaves the distillery at the opposite end to which the agave arrives. There’s a deep beauty to this kind of organisation and whatever’s the opposite of your skin crawling, this does it to me.

We tasted the Los Danzantes range with Jaime, and spent a long while talking in the cellar/chai, (which even shares characteristics with the equivalents in Cognac, such as gravel on the floor to regulate the humidity), before getting back in the car to head to San Baltazar to meet one of the Alipús producers.

The Alipús project was started by Jaime to support the indigenous growers and distillers of the region. As with Del Maguey and Los Siete Misterios he works with a number of producers, with the mezcals bottled under the Alipús label. At San Baltazar we again encountered the mix of tradition and sustainability at the heart of Los Danzantes and Alipús: Don Cirilo and his family are close to completing the construction of their new distillery and home, built with the proceeds they have made from Alipús and using technical advice from Los Danzantes. Modern as this seems we are abruptly reminded of how remote we are by Jaime translating Spanish with Cirilo, who then had to translate into the indigenous Zapotec for his father, Don Cosme. By now we were accustomed to the kindness and hospitality of the people of Oaxaca, but no less thankful to be on the receiving end. The warmth between Cirilo and his family and Jaime was emotional to witness. Jaime treated us to a stunning dinner at the Los Danzantes restaurant that evening, and I may have over-indulged on some strong mezcal. My backgammon skills took a further dip.

On our final morning Jaime and Sten, who is responsible for production and sustainability at Los Danzantes and Alipús, presented us some of their projects for the conservation of agave and the industry surrounding it; their passion and commitment is incredible.

Del Maguey – the original Single Village mezcal – was started in 1995 by artist Ron Cooper, and is a firm bartender favourite the world over. The first four villages (Chichicapa, San Luis del Rio, Santo Domingo Albarradas and Minero) are still the core range, along with the house pour level Vida and the dangerously moreish Crema de Mezcal, but an impressive variety of different villages and agaves now form part of the range.

Single agave mezcals from the Sola de Vega region, distilled in clay pots and bottled by Julio and Eduardo Mestre. Each bottle is numbered and has the name of the master palenquero who produced it. Doba-Yej (a local name for espadin) is a copper-pot distilled mezcal designed to be a house pour.

Mezcals from villages around Oaxaca, sourced by Jaime of Los Danzantes as part of a project to support the locals. Five villages form the core range: San Baltazar, San Andrés, San Juan, Santa Ana and San Luis.

Owned by Jaime Munoz (a strong contender for nicest man in Oaxaca) and originally produced for the restaurant of the same name. A blanco, reposado and añejo are distilled at their distillery, soon to move to the newer site.

Glossary

Quiote – The flowering stem of the agave, which shoots up from the mature plant. This is usually cut off in tequila production as it takes sugar from the plant. When they have flowered and gone to seed the plant dies.

Hijuelos – Small clones of a plant that sprouts up around the main plant after the 4th year of its life (though at the Siete Misterios nursery they have witnessed it in agave as young as 1 year). The most common form of agave propagation is to take these and replant them.

Calvados is back. Well, ‘back’ is perhaps putting it a little strongly – it’s debatable whether there was ever a time when calvados was the apple (sorry) of the bar world’s eye – but there’s definitely something going on. Rather than sourcing one unconsidered bottle, destined for a life of gathering dust, bartenders are now paying attention, and restaurants may have a number of calvados options on the back bar covering different styles: Coupette in Bethnal Green boasts an impressive range and features a calvados of the month. It is no surprise that the definitive apple brandy is finding its way onto more and more cocktail menus throughout the country.

A short history of the Calvados region and its brandy

Cider making has a long history in France, dating back at least to the Romans. In the 13th century it became the drink of choice for the lower classes in the Normandy region, and by the 14th century cider sales in the North were greater than wine. The first record we have of the distillation of cider is from 1553, when a nobleman called Gilles de Gouberville recorded the process of making eaux-de-vie in his diary.

During the 19th century, calvados and cider became very popular in Paris, partly due to the phylloxera crisis crippling the wine trade. ‘Café/Calva’ became a favourite with the working man and is a tradition that continues to this day.

Calvados Pays d’Auge was granted AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) status in 1942, along with 10 regions granted the looser AOR (appellation d’origine réglementée). These 10 were incorporated into the general AOC Calvados in 1984; the third and final AOC was added in 1997: AOC Calvados Domfrontais.

A castle and its apples

Built in the early 16th century, the Château du Breuil is classified as an historical monument, reflecting the typical Pays d’Auge architecture. The two half-timbered towers of the castle are from the 16th century; the central part is from the 17th century. In 1954, Philippe Bizouard bought the castle to set up his own distillery and created the Calvados Château du Breuil.

Château du Breuil has around 22000 apple trees within two orchards (42 hectares) in the Pays d’Auge region, and also works with farmers from the neighbouring towns. The higher rainfall in the region combined with the shallow soil provide perfect growing conditions for apple trees. It takes around 27kg of apples to make one litre of calvados; each tree produces 50-200kg each harvest (depending on the age of the tree, the rootstock and a number of other factors!)

Harvesting takes place in October and November, with up to 40 varieties of apple arriving at the Château to be pressed. The blend between these varieties is the first step to creating the unique flavour profile of the ciders. Fermentation is 100% natural and takes at least 6 weeks (the legal minimum is 3 weeks), yielding a 4.5% cider.

Distillation begins in the winter in Château du Breuil’s two copper pot stills. For Calvados Pays d’Auge the stills may be heated with a steam coil or naked flame; Château du Breuil uses flame. The first distillation produces les petites eaux at 28%, which are then returned to the still for the bonne chauffe, when the eaux-de-vie exits the still at 71% ABV, ready for its long slumber in oak that will yield the finished calvados.

The young spirit is put into 350 litre barrels, firstly in new wood for two months, during which time the spirit takes tannin and colour, before being transferred to older casks for maturation. Unusually (for calvados at least), Château de Breuil also have some cask finishes, where the spirit spends an extra few months in a sherry or sweet wine cask, adding extra layers of complexity.

The Three Appellations of Calvados

AOC Calvados (approximately 71% of production)

Geographical area in Normandy: the Calvados department and some parts of Mayenne, Sarthe and Oise

No distillation method specified, but most is column stills (to a maximum ABV of 72%)

Made of apples and/or pears (permitted varieties are specified in the AOC)

Minimum two years’ old

AOC Calvados Pays d’Auge (approximately 28% of production)

Geographical area mostly in the Calvados department, on clay and chalk slopes

Must be double-distilled in pot stills with a maximum size of 30hl, to a maximum ABV of 72% (similar to Cognac)

Made of apples (with a maximum of 30% pears permitted)

Minimum two years’ old

AOC Domfrontais (approximately 1% of production)

Geographical area in the Orne, Manche and Mayenne departments

Must be single distilled in column stills heated with naked flame, to a maximum ABV of 72% (similar to Armagnac)

Made of apples and pears (with a minimum of 30% pears)

Minimum three years’ old

For all the appellations the whole process must be carried out in the geographical area: harvest, fermentation, distillation and ageing.

Les Vergers Boiron, a family adventure established in 1942 and today the brand of reference for professionals looking for that one-stop fruit solution, has launched their new range of ambient fruit purées, ready to use for instant, quick serve applications.

Ten absolutely must-taste flavours, 100% natural with unrivalled fruit content, no added flavourings, preservatives or artificial colourings. No need to freeze, just mix, serve up and enjoy; and what’s more, they last up to eight days once opened, with zero compromise and 100% taste perfection.

The English Whisky Co. releases the first 10 year old English Single Malt Whisky

The English Whisky Co. is England’s oldest registered whisky distiller. In 2005 the Nelstrop family designed and built the St George’s Distillery in Norfolk with the express purpose of producing the very finest English single malt whisky.

Following a string of successful releases over the past few years, along with numerous awards, The English Whisky Co. are releasing a limited number of bottles of the first 10yr old English whisky available for over a century. Selected from exceptional ultra-rare casks of the Founders’ Private Cellar range it provides a promising glimpse of the whiskies we can expect to see from the distillery in the future. Each individually numbered bottle comes with its own certificate and is presented in a beautiful piano finished box.

Amathus Drinks Plc is delighted to be appointed the new UK distributor of The English Whisky Co. Phil Duffy, Head of Spirits for Amathus, commented, ‘The English Whisky Co. is an incredible addition to the Amathus portfolio and we feel honoured to have them on board. With the increasing popularity of whisky, it is inevitable the collection will be equally well received by our on-trade and off-trade customers. The release of their 10yr English Single Malt is an important landmark in the development of modern distillation in England, and having tasted the range of whiskies they are producing we’re looking forward to exciting times ahead.’

New to Amathus Agency – Koval Organic Spirits

Established in 2008, Koval is the first distillery in Chicago since the mid-1800s, is one of America’s largest artisan distilleries and has won over 50 international awards. Koval pioneered a new school of distilling in the US that focuses on the heart cut: the purest, most grain forward portion of the distillate, which gives Koval its signature clean, bright style. Koval is also known for its use of unique and interesting grains, such as millet, leading Wine Enthusiast to name the distillery a “leader of the alt-grain scene.” All of Koval’s whiskies are ‘single barrel’ and are aged in 30 gallon oak barrels; the contents of each bottle can be traced all the way back to the field on which the grain was grown.

While Koval is a vanguard of American independent whiskey, they also have a lot to offer gin fans: their Dry Gin – the most awarded domestic gin in the US in 2015 – has now been joined by the gold medal winning Barreled Gin (aged in Koval Rye barrels for 6 months).

All Koval products are certified organic and kosher, and are made from grain to bottle in Chicago.

The Glenrothes Masterclass – 7th December

The Glenrothes masterclass at Amathus Shoreditch, 7th December. Don’t miss out on your chance to taste some of the finest vintages, with heritage brands director Ronnie Cox. Book away…

Sipsmith Masterclass – 5th December

A Walk Down Gin Lane with Sipsmith

Join our friends from London Distillery Sipsmith for an evening of gin tasting at Amathus City. Enjoy a hot gin cocktail to kick things off while you learn all about the history of gin and where Sipsmith fits into this, followed by a full tutored tasting of the Sipsmith range.

Porto Cálem, was founded in 1859 by António Alves Cálem with its first Vintage Port being released in 1870. Porto Cálem has an international reputation for being one of the Douro’s most celebrated Port producers. Cálem Colheita is an aged Tawny Port made with grapes from a single vintage which by law must be matured in wooden casks for at least seven years.

Cálem Colheita 1961, bottled in 2013, after 52 years in the barrel has just been awarded the top award at the IWSC annual awards, the gold IWSC Trophy 2017 for the Port wine category. (The IWSC Annual Awards celebrates excellence in wine and spirit making, and is recognised as setting the International benchmark for quality).

Judges tasting notes:

“Amber shading to green. Dried figs, caramel and raisins, with marmalade notes and candied lemons. The wine exhibits amazing youthfulness and purity and literally dances on the tongue. The balance of alcohol, wood ageing and fruit have come together in an incredible fusion of flavours and textures that is just purely sublime.”

New In – Shrubb J.M Liqueur d’Orange

The wait is finally over… Shrubb J.M est arrivé! A brilliant marriage of aged J.M rhum with bitter orange zest, natural sugarcane syrup and a maceration of locally sourced vanilla bean, cinnamon and nutmeg. Best served neat/on ice, or in a Agric’Old Fashioned… Oh yeah!

Kilchoman Masterclass – 22nd November

If you missed the one last month at Amathus City then join us at Amathus Soho for our second Kilchoman masterclass. As a reminder on tasting will be the Machir Bay, Loch Gorm, 100% Islay, Vintage 2009 and the Madeira Cask.

Save the date! This year we will be making an appearance at the BBC Good Food Show at the NEC in Birmingham; a four day event with the best variety of food, drinks and cookery products from over 500 exhibitors… it’s the biggest and tastiest day out in the UK!

So come along and visit us at stand W230 to discover the exciting world of Jinro Soju from South Korea. We’ve also got a few surprises up our sleeves so make sure you don’t miss out. Register here.

Kilchoman Masterclass – 24th October 2017

Please join us at Amathus City for a Kilchoman Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky masterclass on the 24th October at 7pm. On tasting will be the Machir Bay, Loch Gorm, 100% Islay, Vintage 2009 and the Madeira Cask.

The latest addition from A.Van Wees Distillery de Ooievaar, Three-Corner Dry Yuzu Gin, made from a mix of 100% distilled yuzu from Japan and 100% distilled gin from the classic botanicals of juniper, lemon, coriander, angelica and a variety of other herbs. On the palate, dry, subtle, yet intense yuzu and mandarin citrus flavours. Utterly divine!

The Ti’Punch Cup UK Final – The Winner is Announced…

This year we saw the return of the Ti’Punch Cup Competition after two whole years. If you’re not that familiar with the Ti’Punch Cup or even a Ti’Punch for that matter, then here’s what you need to know…

The Ti’Punch is a cocktail made up of three key ingredients: rhum agricole (white, gold or aged rhum), sugarcane syrup or raw sugar and fresh lime. The Ti’Punch is more than just a cocktail, it’s the heart of the culture in Martinique, traditionally served as an apéritif. Historically people used to have a Ti’Punch in the morning, to kick-start their day; better known as ‘décollage’ translated ‘take off’ in English.

So to celebrate the ‘Art of the Ti’Punch’, Rhum Clément launched the Ti’Punch Cup where bartenders from all over the world could enter. The idea of the competition is to create a twist on the classic Ti’Punch, by swapping out/adding in different ingredients to create your very own rendition. It’s a competition well worth entering, if for no other reason than that the national finalists win a 5-day trip to the French Caribbean island of Martinique for the global final, on the 12th-16th March 2018.

This year’s UK final took us to ECC in Chinatown, London. In total there were eight finalists competing for the winning spot, including Sam Boulton (The Bureau, Birmingham), Chris Tanner (The Vault, London), Zaneta Leszczynska (ECC Chinatown, London), Alex Taylor (Pennyroyal, Cardiff), Ashera Goonewardene (The Beachcomber, London), Remy Cousquer (Riverhut, Surbiton), Ben Todd (Home, London) and William Campbell (Alvinos, Newcastle).

The competition kick-started at 12pm sharp and each finalist had ten minutes to make four of their signature cocktail and present it to the judges. Our four lovely judges included Kiowa Bryan Rhum Clément US Brand Ambassador, Simon Difford founder of Difford’s Guide, Peter Holland from the Floating Rum Shack and Tiago Semblano, winner of the Ti’Punch Cup UK final in 2015.

The competition was extremely high, which made it a tad difficult for our judges to pick just the one winner. So without further ado, from third place to first place, our three lucky winners are as follows:

Third place – Alex Taylor from Pennyroyal in Cardiff with his Ti’Punch Power of 3.

Second place – William Campbell from Alvinos in Newcastle with his Historic Swizzle Ti’Punch addition.

So in first place, and the winner of the UK final was Ashera Goonewardene from The Beachcomber in London. Ashera stole the show with her cocktail, Retour Chez Moi, made with Clément Canne Bleue, canne syrup, lychee liqueur and guava juice; twizzle, twizzle, twizzled together then garnished with grapefruit peel… taste heaven. Congratulations Ashera, next stop Martinique!

After a Ti’Punch or two to toast Ashera’s success is was onto Trailer Happiness where the party continued well into the night.

Finally, a big thank you goes out to each of the finalists, our judges and of course ECC for letting us host the final at your fantastic bar.

A job well done!

Bonpland Rum

We are excited to reveal that Bonpland Rum Rouge VSOP is now available on all Lufthansa first class flights. Another great accolade for the brand, congratulations guys.

Bottled-in-bond is a designation that refers to American whiskeys (and some brandies) that are distilled, aged, and bottled entirely at one distillery, from barrels filled in one season, by one distiller.

Kings County Bottled-in-Bond is aged for 4 years in oak barrels and bottled at 100 proof. Smooth, spicy and complex with notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, and vanilla.

RumFest 2017 – 14th & 15th October

Calling all rum lovers of the world, join us at this year’s RumFest on the 14th & 15th October. For two days straight the ILEC Conference Centre will become home to the world’s largest rum festival, bringing trade and consumer experts together for a weekend of great food, entertainment and most importantly the finest rum around.

Joining in on the action with us and showcasing their exceptional rum collections are Barceló, Rhum J.M and Rhum Clément. Come and visit us at stand 22 and see what it’s all about!

Please join us on Thursday, 28th September at Amathus City for our Champagne Pol Roger masterclass, kicking starting at 7pm.

On tasting will be the Brut Reserve NV, Pure NV, Rich NV, Vintage 2008, Rosé 2008, Blanc de Blancs 2009 and the Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2006. Tickets are £25 per person, to book please email city@amathusdrinks.com or call 0207 283 0638. Limited spaces available so hop to it!

California Wine Fair 2017 – 27th September

On Wednesday 27th September, California Wines will be hosting a portfolio tasting in central London. It will be a destination for California wines, with over 600 wines on tasting and over 40 exhibitors in attendance.

We will be part of the exhibitors list and will be showcasing our Californian agency brand, from Santa Barbara County – the wonderful Fess Parker. Alongside us will be Tim Snider, winemaker at Fess Parker Winery… so grab yourself a ticket at www.californiawinefair.co.uk… and we’ll see you there at table number 4!

Register at www.tipunchcup.com for a chance to take part in the UK heats and win a trip of a lifetime to Martinique.

Deadlines for entries is the 12th September 2017… don’t miss out!

Three apples in every bottle… nothing else

Hoila Cider is a 100% premium apple Alpine cider from South Tyrol, Italy.

Hoila was born through an extensive research collaboration with the prestigious Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. They analysed and evaluated over 20 local apple varieties to create their premium blend. After years of hard work, countless trials and tests, and true dedication they established their own cider production facilities in Cortina.

Hoila is a refreshing cider made from the purest apples grown in South Tyrol. They combine the best British brewing tradition with Alpine authenticity, artisanship and absolute commitment to quality… it’s mouth-wateringly good.

‘A Taste of Honey’ from Joseph Cartron

Joseph Cartron intensely tickles our tastes buds with their latest heather flower honey liqueur, Cartron Miel; elaborated from pure alcohol and heather honey from the Landes region in the South West of France. Heather is a hardy plant that requires a lot of sunshine in order to produce the little pink flowers the bees forage between July and the autumn.

Nils Oscar’s grandson opened the Nils Oscar microbrewery in Stockholm in 1996, experimenting with grain grown on the family farm nearby. The brewery quickly became a staple for quality Swedish craft beer and, after years of success, relocated and expanded. Still to this day, the second generation of the family focuses on producing traditional beer but with a modern twist.

Nils Oscar Sundberg was born in a small village in Sweden, in 1865. A pioneer in many respects, Nils Oscar personifies all the values that the brand stands for – honest, energetic, modern, respectful of nature, firmly grounded, a sense of craftsmanship and a little mischief of course. Each bottle is branded with Nils Oscar’s portrait as a seal of approval and to remind them to live up to his dedication to quality, honesty and forward-thinking…and they will continue to do this one bottle at a time.

Nils Oscar God Lager is their number one best seller that certainly lives up to its name, God, meaning ‘Tasty’ lager in Swedish.

New In – World Class Burgundies, with a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’

Right in the heart of the Burgundy region, south of Beaune, on a hillside vineyard located in the village of Santenay, stands the Château de Santenay. This magnificent castle, with roots dating back to the 11th century, was once the main residence of Philip the Bold (Philippe le Hardi), son of the King of France, John the Good (Jean le Bon); hence why the château is commonly called ‘Château Philippe le Hardi‘.

Philippe le Hardi was the most illustrious owner of Château de Santenay. A brilliant politician, Philippe was responsible for a magnificent chapter in the history of Burgundy, founding the ‘Valois of Burgundy’ dynasty, which would reign for over a century.

Château de Santenay, is one of the larger wine-producing estates in Burgundy. This prestigious property, consisting of the château with its remarkable glazed tile roof and vineyards, is the result of an ancient heritage intimately linked to the history of wine production in Burgundy.

The wine estate consists of 98 hectares of vineyards, where the ‘noble’ Burgundian grape varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown. The wines are aged in the classic Burgundian tradition within the castle cellars.

Gold medal winner at the International Wine Challenge 2017, the Mercurey 1er Cru ‘Les Puillets’ 2015, is rich with opulent raspberry fruit flavours, has a ripe and inviting body with a wonderful balance and aroma. A truly stunning example of a classic red Burgundy.

Peruvian Perfection – the finest premium lager from Latin America

A very warm welcome to our newest agency beer from Peru. From the heart and heights of an ancient Andean civilisation, Cusqueña is a superior quality lager, brewed since 1908. On October 1st, 1908, a group of entrepreneurs led by Ernesto Günther founded Cervecera Alemana in the city of Cusco; it was here that the story of Cusqueña began.

Produced with only the finest natural ingredients near the mystical lost city of Machu Picchu in Peru; Cusqueña is crafted from the purest mountain water from a source at 18,000 feet in the Andes, with a combination of 100% barley malt, caramel malt and the finest aromatic Saaz hops. This gives it its exceptional golden quality, exquisite taste,
and distinctive flavour twist of caramel and citrus.

It’s crisp, pure and totally refreshing.

Award-winning Sparkling Wines from Luxembourg

A huge congratulations to our outstanding sparking wine producers, Bernard-Massard, who received some cracking results at the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards. The Bernard-Massard Brut Cuvée de L’Écusson NV was awarded Platinum – Best in Show and the Millésimé 2014, was awarded Platinum.

Not to be missed! Join us next Wednesday at our Soho shop for a very special Cuvelier Los Andes masterclass, hosted by Baptiste Cuvelier himself.

The origins of the Cuvelier family’s wine exploits began in Bordeaux, in the early 20th century, with the purchase of Château le Crock in St. Estèphe in 1903.

In the 1990’s, the family spread their wings, as they turned their attention to Mendoza in Argentina, working first with Michel Rolland on his Clos de la Siete project. But, by 1999, they had begun to plant their own vineyards – Cuvelier los Andes – and produced their first wine under this estate in 2003. Truly outstanding!

Carramimbre, or ‘wicker path’ in ancient Spanish, is the name of one of the vineyards owned by Bodegas Pignon in the Ribera del Duero; situated at the bottom of a short hill, where an ancient castle still stands. Some of the vines here are as old as 50 years old.

The vineyards sit on the ‘Golden Mile’ of the Ribera del Duero (which is, in fact, 15km long) stretching along the Duero valley from the town of Peñafiel, down to Tudela de Duero. Here, the Bodegas rubs shoulders with many prestigious and iconic neighbours (Alion, Vega Sicilia etc).

Harry Georgiou, founder-CEO of Amathus Drinks Plc, continues to strengthen his new executive team with the appointment of not one, but two Sales & Marketing Directors – Fraser McGuire and Simon Bradbury.

Comments Harry: “Since our acquisition of Bablake Wines last year, we’ve now got a national footprint but we’re still very specialist and I felt we needed two heavy hitters to bring the Amathus brand to a national customer base.” Explaining his plans, he continued: “This puts us on course towards our next milestone of £100m in sales by 2019. Fraser’s well respected in the on-trade and brings huge energy. Simon brings a great record and a fantastic knowledge of the off-trade. It’s a dream team for me and I’m delighted they’ve come on board.”

Simon Bradbury has spent more than 25 years in the Drinks Industry most recently holding senior positions with Enotria and Codorniu Ravenous. He said “I am joining Amathus at a hugely exciting time with ambitious growth plans and relish the opportunity to build on our strong core business. There are new regions we want to move into and with our excellent portfolio of exclusive wines, spirits and beers we can offer a real quality alternative.”

Fraser McGuire is a 20-year industry veteran and held senior positions with Enotria and Whyte & Mackay. He said, “I’m really thrilled to be joining Amathus at this time and driven by Harry’s vision Amathus has established itself as a leading player within the Premium On-trade in the UK. Amathus is a family owned, forward thinking, decisive & nimble company, which I believe will help give us the edge within an industry where the landscape will continue to evolve through wholesaler consolidation.”

Commenting on the consolidation in the sector throughout the last 12 months, Harry said: “The Bablake Wines acquisition enhances our reach. We want to take our brands to a national customer base. I don’t wake up thinking about being the biggest. But I do get excited about developing undiscovered niche categories in spirits such as Mezcal, Aquavit and Pisco in the UK. And in recent years we have earned respect in developing new and emerging wine regions as diverse as the Yamanashi Prefecture of Japan with its Koshu, to Greece’s trending varieties such as Assyrtico.

The appointments follow David Smith in the Finance seat a year ago, as part of Amathus’ drive to its next milestone of £100m revenues.

The Georgiou family grew Amathus from start-up to £40m revenues to earn an uncontested position in the front ranks of the specialist on-trade. Headquartered in Park Royal, it has warehouses in Coventry and Bristol and a substantial delivery fleet capable of supporting small independents to servicing wholesale customers. It also has 4 distinctive wine and spirits boutiques aimed at knowledgeable drinkers and the trade. In 2015, it acquired Bablake Wines for cash. Group revenues now exceed £60m.

Gin lovers of the world get ready as World Gin Day returns for its eighth year running on Saturday, 11th June. World Gin Day is a global celebration of all things gin, where for one whole day we have the best excuse to drink plenty of gin!

Whether you like the traditional G&T, mixing it in a cocktail or served over ice – there’s so much choice out there, which gin do you pick? As its World Gin Day, we’ve chosen our favourites from all over the world… from the Netherlands to Germany, Spain and Sweden; it’s time for you to discover a world of amazing gin!

Ferdinand’s Saar Dry Gin is fun, delightful to the palate and offers all spirit enthusiasts among us a product they can play with, experiment with and be proud to have added to their collection. Infused with carefully hand-picked Riesling grapes from the steep shale slopes of the Zilliken estate, make this gin an impressively unique tasting experience.

Bobby’s is at its best in a Bobby & Tonic, served over ice and garnished with an orange peel studded with cloves.

On the island of Hven located in the strait of Öresund between Denmark and Sweden lies the Spirit of Hven Distillery. Their Organic Gin is a true handcrafted distilled gin produced from the finest quality organic grain spirit infused with fresh botanicals.

The result is an outstanding luxury gin with the delicate aromas and taste of citrus, juniper and grains of paradise – pushing the quality & taste one step further, above the rest! Best served on ice with lemon and tonic or on its own with a splash of water.

Established in 1880, Rives have been making their Special Gin in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain since 1980.

Rives Special Gin is a super-premium handcrafted gin, with a unique taste that will blow your mind! The careful selection of 11 botanicals, naturally harvested from around the world, creates a powerful and complex flavour that is guaranteed to wow you all!

Following the traditional London Dry gin style, A.v.Wees produce this smooth gin, distilled with just 2 botanicals – juniper berries and lemons. Although the recipe sounds simple, you’d be surprised how flavourful this Dutch gin really is. It mixes extremely well in cocktails and makes a very impressive Dry Martini! It just shows that sometimes keeping it simple is key!

So in a world with so many different types of gin from here, there and everywhere – it’s no wonder we need a day dedicated to celebrating this great spirit.